The River of Darkness Part 16

The spot referred to was a dim ma.s.s rising out of the plain some fifty yards distant. Whether they really were rocks or not it was hard to tell.

Another fearful roar put an end to indecision, and they ran at the top of their speed toward the hoped-for refuge. No one glanced behind. In imagination they felt the hot breath on their necks and heard the soft patter through the gra.s.s.

Then the refuge was before them, a tall column of rock rising from a clump of jungle gra.s.s and some low, stunted timber.

It towered up in ledges and in a trice Canaris had sprung upon the first platform, and extended a helping hand to his companions.

With frantic haste they climbed another jutting ledge and pulled themselves to the top. None too soon, for as they turned to look, the big lion sprang into the air and landed with a roar of baffled rage on the ledge beneath.

He rose instantly for another spring, but as he reared upward Guy brought down the b.u.t.t of his rifle on the ma.s.sive head, and the beast rolled down into the gra.s.s at the foot of the rock.

Another lion loomed up in the shadows, and together the two paced about, las.h.i.+ng their tails and growling with fury.

"That was a narrow escape," said Guy. "A moment more and we would have been caught."

"We're not altogether safe yet," replied Canaris. "Those are hungry looking brutes, and it's hard to tell what they may do. We must remain quiet and watch them closely."

The two lions continued to prowl up and down, licking their chops and occasionally glancing at the top of the rock. Suddenly they halted in the middle of their beat, and, p.r.i.c.king up their ears, a.s.sumed an expectant att.i.tude.

"They hear something," said Guy. "I wonder what it can be."

For a full minute the two n.o.ble beasts stood like bits of statuary, not a muscle quivering, their tails slowly waving to and fro. Then with a couple of bounds they vanished in the high gra.s.s.

"The siege is raised," exclaimed Guy, breathing a low sigh of relief.

"Hush," replied Canaris, "not a sound, not a whisper for your lives.

Down, down, crouch low; throw yourselves flat!"

His voice was tremulous with sudden fear, and his hand shook as he pointed one nerveless finger in the direction taken by the lions.

"Look, look!" he muttered with chattering teeth. "One sound and we are doomed."

CHAPTER XVII.

A CLOSE SHAVE.

The Greek's extreme terror sprang from no insignificant cause. Over the crest of a ridge some thirty yards distant came a large body of men. It was very evident that they would pa.s.s close to the rock, and the three fugitives, crouching on its flat surface in the gloom, may well be pardoned for believing that the enemy were on their track.

As the advance guard drew still closer, Canaris thrust his face against the stone. Melton did the same; but Guy, whose curiosity fairly mastered his fear, ventured to raise his head slightly, and a single glance showed him that the strange foe had no intention of halting.

They pa.s.sed within ten yards of the rock, it is true, but not a man looked to right or left, and they moved at a rapid and steady pace.

Guy's amazement grew deeper as the long procession went by in constantly increasing numbers, for even to his unskilled eyes it was plain that these men were neither Arabs nor Somalis.

The dim light revealed their powerful stature, the dark faces crowned with turbans, the linen cloaks that were flung carelessly on their shoulders, and the various arms, comprising s.h.i.+elds, swords, spears, and even guns.

At intervals the stalwart figure of a man towered above the rest, mounted high on a camel or an elephant.

Melton and Canaris ventured to raise their heads in response to a nudge from Guy, and all three witnessed the pa.s.sing of this strange procession, which comprised nearly a hundred men.

As the rear guard vanished over a ridge to the south, Canaris, without a word, swung himself nimbly to the ground and picked up some glittering object that lay in the path.

"Look," he exclaimed in a tone of wonder, as Guy and Melton followed him down, "do you recognize this workmans.h.i.+p? But no, how could you?" he resumed, without waiting for an answer. "This weapon is of Abyssinian make, and those men were Abyssinians."

"But what are they doing here, so far from their own country?" demanded Guy.

"It is a war party," said Canaris, "and we are not so far from the borders of Abyssinia, after all. It is no uncommon thing for them to raid on the Gallas."

The dagger pa.s.sed from hand to hand, and was inspected with much curiosity, until Canaris pointed toward the east and said: "Morning has come, and the sun will soon be up. Let us climb the rock and make a survey of the country."

Daylight came on with marvelous rapidity, and as the range of vision gradually became clear for a distance of several miles, the Greek rose to his feet and scanned the surroundings with a sweeping gaze.

His countenance expressed first perplexity, then delighted surprise, and turning to his companions he cried:

"We have reached our destination. See! There is the stone kraal, those scattered columns of rock to the south that rise from the jungle. Yes, the old Englishman was right, for yonder lies the Elephant Peak and the Lion's Head."

It was indeed as the Greek said. The broad valley was dotted with a curious rock formation that bore a strong likeness to a native village of huts, and on either side of the valley, from the rugged chains of mountains, rose two lofty peaks, one fas.h.i.+oned like a rec.u.mbent elephant, the other a perfect semblance of a lion's s.h.a.ggy head.

A murmur of surprise burst from the trio as they gazed along on this strange verification of their hopes.

The mountain peaks were at least four miles distant, for the breadth of the valley was about eight.

For the moment the recent pa.s.sage of the warlike Abyssinians was forgotten. Then a very significant occurrence recalled it forcibly to their minds.

From the base of the Lion's Head suddenly rose a column of yellow smoke, and two or three gun shots echoed distinctly across the valley.

"The Abyssinians have attacked the town of the Gallas," cried Canaris.

"It lies at the foot of that peak, and is the same kraal at which the Englishman was kept in slavery when he discovered the underground river."

"I hope they'll eat each other up like the Kilkenny cats," observed Guy coolly.

"But you don't understand," cried the Greek in strange excitement. "They will scatter over the valley, they will flee to those rocks yonder for protection, and unless we find the entrance to that river at once we are lost."

"Canaris is right," spoke up Melton. "We must make immediate search for the rock with the cross. It is our only hope."

"Yes, our only hope," echoed the Greek. "Come quickly, there is no time to lose."

He slipped to the ground and led his companions rapidly down the valley toward the stone village.

They hastened on among the scattered rocks for a quarter of a mile or more, until the extreme southern edge was reached, and then Canaris stopped.

"This is the south side," he said; "we must search the rocks for one with a cross."

They scattered, Guy toward the west, Melton to the east. It was a time of peril, for the yellow smoke was curling up over the Lion's Head in heavier columns, and the firing was more distinct, as though the conflict were spreading toward them across the valley.